Gated slip elevator



Feb. 9, 1932. s. 1.. CAMPBELL GATED SLIP ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb 9, 1932. s. L. CAMPBELL 1,844,379

GATED SLIP ELEVATOR Filed Dec. 5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a; FW/// A J 14' 3/ 0 I! 4( 5'2 :1 kg r /0 i 49 i 0/ 1 g? the latchin Patented Feh. 9, 1932 warren srArEs PATENT OFFICE ART L. UAMIPBELL, OI!" BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG'N'OR TO JOHN GRANT, OF

LOB; ANGEL-ES, CALIFORNIA GAIED SLIP ELEVATOR Application filed. December 5, 1928.

This invention has reference to elevators tubing, casing or the like, as used well Work. the invention not limited to use in connection with but may be used in any other 'ihc invention, howy cxplainahle in connection work. oral object oi the invention is the in of an elevator that combines the features of both the gated or is oli elevator and also those 01 'pe of el vator. The slip type oi of course, the advantage that it A oh t it illlli'ii; be put into place lllclli downwardly over the upper e pipe. The gated or opening type has the advantage that it can be or rlosul around the pipe rather than to be put over the end oi the pipe; the disadvantage that it can only ment with the pipe pier-tent invention, among other rovides an elevator structure in advantageous features of both ors are combined... feature oil? the present in in the fact that the two relawhich 1 types o1 ole movable pipe encircling darts are so .necie-il and so interact that these have relative nioven'icnt for tuit on that grips the pipe. In l I .iitruction it not necessary, although the ii'ivontiou is not limited against this. tliiit the 1 )ping slips or dies themselves lsliion relative to the body oi the elevator; the wedging inoveum;- supplied by the relative inoveinrnt of body parts themselves.

another feature of the invention resides in j or locking arrangement; this Serial No, 324,006.

on the pipe, and also that it has an action to close or aid in closing the parts in their final closing movement. invention is not necessarily limited to an elevator having a slip or wedge action; this feature may be applied, as well to the or dinary type of opening and (dosing elevator that does not grip the pipe.

in illustrating and describing a typical and illustrative embodiment of the invention, I have chosen to illustrate that type of elevator known as the gated typethat is, the type of elevator in which one of the pipe encircling parts, usually known as the body, is supported by the hoisting bails, while the other part, usually known as the gate, has no direct connection to the hoisting bails. But this particular design or type of elevator is not a necessary limitation upon my invention, as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art; it only being necessary for the purposes of my invention that two pipe encircling parts, however, supportedby the hoist, have the relative, movements which are to be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved elevator closed around the pipe.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Figure. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation, similar in aspect to Fig. l but with the gate of the elevator removed and with certain parts broken away for lllllShlflhiVG.PUIPOSBS.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation onlinc 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the elevator partially closed.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the parts in a typical closed position.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line of Fig. 2.

And in this feature the .3

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but showing the parts open.

In the drawings the two parts designated generally by thenumerals l0 and 11 are the parts which encircle the pipe. In the particular form of elevator which I have. here' that its free swinging end may wing out to an open position as will readily be understood, and also swing in toa closed'position such as shown in the drawings. This is 'so constructed and mounted, in accordance with the present invention, that it not onlymoves in and out'specifically swings in and out but also has a vert cal movement.

" Thus the gate is so mounted on hinge pin A that it bothlswings horizontally and slides vertically on that hingeipin, a spring 15 be- :ing preferably utilized to counter-balance or over balance the weight of-the gate so as normally to hold it in an'upper position, or at least so as to require only'a small manual effort to move the gate to its upper position. The hinged end of the gate is preferably housed in arecess 17 in the body, and the gate has, at-its swinging end, a projecting lug 18 which, when the gate is closed, bears outwardly against an overhanging lug or rib 19 of the body, so that outward thrust onthe gate at that hinged end is. taken directly on the lug or rib l9of the body rather than on the hinge pin 14. The interengaging surfaces (see S in Fi ure 7) of lug l8 and rib 19 are preferably not exactly vertical but somewhat diagonal, so'that these surfaces can be in engag'ement as the swinging end of thegate moves down and inwardly as will be hereinafterdescribed.

Theouter or swingingend of the gate has a wedge lug engagement with thebody; and for this purpose'the outer swinging end of the gate preferably has two projecting wedge lugs 20 and 21 which are adapted, respectively, to moye'downwardly and inwardly over theinwardly inclined faces 22' of the two vertically spaced wedge lugs 23 and 2d of the body. The outer surfaces 25 of the wedge lugs 20 and 21'are inclined to bear flatly on the wedge surfaces 22 of the body lugs.

When the elevator is open, the gate occupies such a relativeposition as'shown in Figure 8, the gate being then n tsupper position,

so that'its' lugs 20 and 21 have cleared the, body lugs 23 and 24: and the gate is then free to be swung outwardly,

gate in such uppermost position and swung Figure 8 shows the the elevator is then placed around the'pipe in 1 the manner ordinary to gated elevators, and

the gate is then swung towards its closed position. Reaching a position close to that shown in Figure 41-, with the gate lugs 20 and 21 over the innervwedge faces 22 of the body lugs 23 and 24, the gate is then moved downwardly and inwardly until it comes into contact with the pipeuntil the pipe is held more less snugly or tightly between thegate and the bodylO. Relative upward move? ment of the whole elevator on the pipe will. then, by reason of frictional engagement of the gate with the pipe,. fforce the gate down, and" consequently inwardly, into tighter en-..

gagement with the pipe, the gate typically reaching such a position as shown in Figures 1, 2-a1id 5; In this-position the pipe istightly wedged between the gate and body and, particularly if proper pipe engagement elements are used, the pipe is gripped securely enough to be hoisted. i

In order for the body and gate to be brought together to wedge the pipe with sufficient tightness to support its weight, by virtue of thefrictio'nal engagement of the pipe gripping ;faces with the pipe tending to move the gate downward relative to the body, the slope of the wedge faces 22 and 25 must such as to permitthis action. Consequently, there IS a limiting minimum slope which these faces may:have*and below which the downward acting force resulting from friction between the pipe grippiii'g faces and the pipe will beinsu'liicient to cause the body and gate to be wedged together tightly enough to support the pipe. It is generally known that 'in' pipe supporting apparatus wherein the pipe is supportedby wedging action'between two relatively movable parts, for example by the use of wedge slips,the slope of the in clined wedge surface-between the parts must be such that the tangent of the angle which the surface makes with the vertical does not exceed substantially the coeflicient of friction between the wedging element and the pipe.

Thus, in the present apparatus, in order to the angle which they make with the vertical will not substantially exceed the coefficient of friction between the pipe gripping faces and the pipe. The express1oncoellicient of friction, as commonly defined, will, beundenstood to mean the ratio of the force that wouldbe required to slide one of the wedge slips, when in grippingengagement with the pipe, relatively upwardly along-the pipe, to the pressural force which the wedge slip exerts against the pipe by virtue of the wedging action between the. slip and the b0 gate part carryingthe slip. i

In order to insure 'a'sec'ure frictional or dy or biting grip on the pipe I preferably provide thegate with serrated dies 30. Seeing that the gate itself moves downwardly in a wedging action to grip the pipe, it is not necessary that these dies have wedging movement relative to the gate; and so they are here shown as stationarily set in the gate, but they may be removable for replacement. Such provision of pipe gripping or biting elements on the gate may in many instances be sullicient, even though the opposing pipe engaging surface of the body he merely a smooth surface. However, for alilditional pipe gripping provision,

I have shown a set of die sh ps 32 mounted in the i3! These die slips may, like the gate be immovable with reference to the but they may iireferably have vertical movement onlhe body so that, when "ripped between the two opposing sets of then, the body (lies may move downrdly in thchody as the gate with its dies 11love downwardly with relation to the body. Time I have shown the body dies 32 in the form of wedge slips mounted in slots or grooves h aving i'liagonal or wcdging back surfaccsill, and spring ill may be used to keep the (ill. normally in their uppermostpositions shown in Figure 6.

The body of the elevator, as here illus-- tinted. has a top plate which convenientl forms a closure for the grooves in which the die are mounted and which also forms an upper or top wall for the body recess 17 over the swinging end of the gate. Sucha lop plate may thus facilitate assembly; but it is not necessary that it be a piece separate from the remainder of the elevator body.

The c ator may be provided with any suitable latch for holding the gate closed; but have further provided for this elevator a latch that holds the gate closed in its inuormoi-i, and lowermost position, whatever that may be when applied to a pipe, and also a latch having an action to move the gate do'wmrardly either as it is swung inwardly by manual force or positively to cause inward closing movement of the gate because of the downward movement induced by the latch :uie 'iion.

t will be remembered that, when the gate swung to a position near that illus- ..l in Figure 4c, and particularly if the k l5 balances or overbalanccs the weight of th gate as to keep it normally in upper position, it is necessary that the gate be moved not only inwardly but also downwardly so as i liolly to move it against the pipe with sulhcici'it pressure that the grip on the pipe will then cause further downward movement of the gate and further wedging action. It will, of course, be readily recognized that the spring 15 may be dispensed with, or may be of such strength as only partially to balance the weight of the gate; but in that case, the ate when hanging open would be in a lower posi- And. who her or not the s )rin r is used to normally hold the gate up, itis desirable.

that positive means be provided for forcing the gate down as it is merely swung in by manual action; and this means I preferably provide in the same latch which holds the gate to itsllnal closed position. The latch is here shown as a winging latch having a shank-35 pivoted at 36 to the gate, the shank carrying a latch head 37 at its swinging end. This latch head 3'? has an upper beveled face 37c which inclines inwardly and downwardly; and the lower outer corner of the upper body lug s3 is weferably beveled or rounded L n k .L as shown at 20b. .lhe latch head 37 is pressed inwardly by a spring 38 confined between the latch head and a handle yoke 39 mounted on the swinging end of the As the gate is swung towards its closed position, then swinging in the horizontal plane in ,which it is shown in Figure 8, the gate lugs 20and 21 first swing inwardly to a position above the position shown in Figure 4. As the gate lugs swing to this position, the forwardlower edge of the beveled latch l1ead'37 moves in under the curved or beveled face 23?) of the body lug 23. Further inward swinging movement of the gate then, by reason of the downward wedging action of latch head 37 on beveled corner 236, causes the gate to move down toward and t0 the position shown in Figure l, until the forward lower,

in Figure 4. Spring 38 may preferably be fairly strong; so that when once the parts have reached disposition of Figure l, then further manual inward pushing of the gate is unnecessary. The spring 38 then shoves the latch'head relatively forward toward or to the position of Figure 5, and in moving the latch head forward the gate is necessarily moved-down by the wedging action of the upper beveled face 37a of the latch head. The spring 38, thusacting to move the latch head inwardly, acts to complete the final downward movement of the gate, and therefore to complete the final inward movement of the gate against the pipe, because when the gate moves downwardly it must, by reason of the beveled faces 22,. also move inwardly. And when the gate. is once closed, the action of it cannot move upwardly in that directionbe-V cause of the downwardly wedging action of latch head 37 However, when it is desired to'release andopen the elevator, it is vonly necessaryto move the latchhead 37 outward- 1y by'manua'l application, and the gate may then move upwardly and outwardly to open position. is

"When the gate moves inv and down, guided by the wedge surfaces 22. it will be understood how the gate lug 18 moves down and laterally and follows the diagonal surface S;

in engagement to take thrust ofi' thehinge pin, nomatter how little or how far the swinging endofthe gate may ride 'downthe wedge opening types.

surfaces 22. And the surfaces at S may be looked at as surfaces-that force the gate to swin outward as it moves it the surfaces "at l 22 having an action to force the gatefto move inward as it moves down. i

The invention is not necessarily restricted to the details herein described, nor in all aspects to the elevator being of the pipe rip ping type, except in so far as specifical y so stated in'the following claims. The details may be varied.Y.- And in certainfeatures, for

' instance those having to dowith the locking" means and other characteristics. the invention is applicable to elevators of the ordinary- The following claims are drawn'with such considerations in "view.'

"Iclaim-w i 1; An elevator of the character; described, comprising two pipeencircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces, oneof said pipe encircling parts having wedge engagement with the' other to be guided 111 a movement downwardly and inwardly towardthat other,

and pipe'grippingiwedge slips mounted in the second mentioned part adapted to be brought into biting engagement'with the pipe upon downward'movement of the first "mentioned part relative to the second;

2. An elevator off he character described,

comprising two pipe encircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces, one of said pipe encircling parts havlng engagement wlth the other on asu'rface making an acuteangle with the-vertical so as to move downwardly and toward that other,and at'lea'st one: of said parts having.apipe bitingelement in itspipegripping face adaptedto be :brought into biting engagement with the pipe -up on downward movement of the first 'mentioned' part relative to the second, and means for locking said parts together at different relative vertical positions thereof.

V 3. An elevator ofthe character described, comprisingtwo pipe encircling parts having opposedpipe gripping faces, one of saidlpipe encircling par-ts having wedge engagement with the other on a'surface making an acute angle with the vertical so as to be guided in arlmovement "downwardly and inwardly to. ward that other, and at least one of saidparts circling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces,'one of saidpipe' encircling parts havso that'the abutment surfaces at S are always ing wedge engagement with the other on a surface makingan acute angle with the vertibetween them upon downward movement of saidfirst mentioned part relative to the sec- 'ondp V a. I, 5. An elevator of the character described,

the character described,

comprising two pipe encirclingparts having opposed pipegripping faces, means hinging the two parts" together atone end to swing horizontally to open and'close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of one part -relat1ve to the other, interengaging wedge elements at the free ends of the pipe encircllng parts to guide one part in a down-' ward path inclined toward the other, one of the engaging faces of said elements making an acute angle with the vertical and interengagingthrust taking elements at the hinged ends of the two parts actingto take the horizontal thrust ofi the'hinge means.-

' 6. An elevator of the character described,

comprising two pipe encircling parts having located at thehinged ends of the two parts,

the one part moves diagonally downwardly and to take the horizontal thrust of the parts off the hinge pinfl 7; An elevator of-the character described, comprisingtwo pipe encircling parts'havlng opposed pipe gripping faces, means h ngmg the two parts together atone end to swing.

horizontally to open and close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of "one opposed; pipe gripping-faces, means hinging thrust lugs with diagonal interengagingfaces adapted to keep in contact as the free end of pararelative to the other, interengaging wedge means at the free ends of the'parts to force -them-. together as ronepart moves" down, and interengaging wedge means at the hinged end of the parts to force them to swing apart as the said one part moves up.

8. An elevator of the character described, compri 'ing two i e encircling parts having opposed pipe ing faces, means hinging the two parts together at one end to swing horizontally to open and close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of one part relative to the other, interengaging wedge means at the ifree e ds of the parts to force them together as one part moves down, and interengaging wedge means at the hinged end of the parts to force them to swing apart as the said one part moves up, both said inter- 'ing wedge means serving to take thrusts tend to spread the pipe encircling parts.

9. An elevator oi? the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces, means hinging the two parts together at one end to swing horizontally to open and close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of one part relative to the other. interengaging wedge means at the free ends of the parts to "force them together as one part moves down, and inter-engaging wedge means at the hinged end of the parts to force them to swing apart as the said one part moves up, both said interenga ing wedge means serving to take thrusts that tend to spread. the pipe encircling parts, and pipe gripping wedge slips mounted in the second mentioned part.

10. An elevator of the character described, comprising two relatively vertically movable pipe'encircling parts, interengaging wedge means on the two parts forcing the parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, and latch means operable to hold the parts together at different relative vertical positions thereof.

11. An elevator ot the cha acter described, comprising two relatively vertically movable pipe encircling parts, inter-engaging wedge means on the two narts forcing the parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, pipe gripping wedge slips mounted in the second mentioned part, and latch means operable to hold the parts together atdiil'erent relative vertical positions thereof.

12. An elevator oi the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge lugs on, the two parts forcing the two parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, and a latch member carried by the first mentioned part and adapted to enter under the lug on the second mentioned part to prevent upward movement oil. the first.

13. An elevator of the character described, con'lprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge means on the two parts torcingthe parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, and

a horizontally moving latch wedge on the first mentioned part adapted to Wedge in under the second mentioned part to hold the first mentioned part down.

14. An elevator of the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge logs on the two parts forcing the two parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, and a latch wedge carried by thelirst men tioned part and adapted to wedge under the log on the second mentioned part to prevent upward movement of the first.

15. An elevator at the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge means on the two parts torcing the parts toward eachother when one part moves down relative to the other, a horizontally moving latch wedge on the first mentioned part adapted to wedge in under the second mentioned part to hold the first mentioned part down, and a spring tending to move the latch wedge under the second mentioned part. y

16. An elevator of the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge lugs on the, two parts tore ing the two parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, a latch wedge carried by the first mentioned part and adapted to wedge under the lug on the second mentioned part to prevent upward movement oi the first, and a spring tending to move the latch wedge under said lug.

17. An elevator of the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging wedge means on the two parts forcing the parts toward each other whenyone part movesdown relative to the other, a horizontally moving latch wedge on the first mentioned part adapted to wedge in under the second mentioned part to hold the iirst mentioned part down, a spring tending to move the latch wedge under the second mentioned part, and a spring tending to raise the first mentioned member relative to the second. i i

18. An elevator of the character described, comprising two pipe encircling parts, interengaging Wedge lugs on the two parts torcing the two parts toward each other when one part moves down relative to the other, a latch wedge carried by the first mentioned part and adapted to wedge under thelng on the second mentioned part to prevent upward movement of the first, a spring tending to move the latch wedge under said lug, and a spring tending to raise the first mentioned member relative to the second.

19. An elevator of the character described, comprising two pipe encircling part-s, means hinging the two parts together at one end to swing horizontally to open and close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of one part relative to the other, interengaging wedge lugs on the free ends ofthe parts acting to force'the'parts' together when the first mentioned art moves'down, and alatch wedge on the rstm'entionedpart adapted to' move in under a portion of the second j mentioned part.

; An elevator of thecharacter described,

com risin two i e encirclin arts means hinging the'twoparts together at one-end to swing horizontally to open andclose and said hingemeans allowing Vertical movement of one part relative to the other, interengagingwedge lugs on the free ends of the parts acting to force, the parts together when the first mentioned part moves down, and. a latch wedge-pivoted on the first mentioned part" to move horizontally and a'dapted to move in under the Wedgelug on the second mentloned part.

21.; An elevator of the character described, comprisingtwo pipe'enclrcllng parts, means hinging the two parts together a't one end to.

swing horizontally to open and close and said hinge means allowing vertical movement of one part relative to the other, interengaging wedge lugs onthe fr e ends of the} parts acting'to force the parts togetherwhen the first mentioned part moves down, a latch wedge pivoted on the first mentioned part to move horizontally and adapted'to move in under the wedge lug on the second mentioned a radius of curvature such asto closely fitv about and frictionally engagethe pipe, hoisting means directly supporting the body only,

said gate having wedge engagement with the body along an inclinedv surface making an acute angle with the vertical, and being adapted to be guided in a movement downwardly and inwardly toward the body to cause said pipe gripping faces to be brought into bitmg engagement with th'expipe, the angle made 7 by said inclined surfacesof engagement between the parts with the vertical being less pipe.

than and such that its tangent does not exceed substantially the coefficient'of friction between said pipe gripping faces and the 23. .An elevator of the character described,

comprising body and gate pipe encircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces of a radiusof curvature such as'to closely fit about and frictionally engage the pipe, hoisting means directly supportingthe body only, said gate having wedge engagement with the body along an inclined surface making an acutesangle withv the verticah-and being 5 adapted to be guided in a movement downv 24. An-elevator of the character An" elevator of the character described,

wardly and inwardly toward the body to cause saidlpipe gripping faces to be brought into biting engagement with the pipe, and pipe grippingwedge' slips mounted in one of said parts, the angle made by said inclined surfaces of engagement between the parts with the vertical being less than 30 and such thatits tangent does not exceed substantially the co-efiicient of friction between said pipe gripping faces'and the pipe.

described, comprising body and gate pipe encircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces of a radius of curvature. such as to. closely fit about and frictionally engage the pipe, hoisting' means directly supporting the body only, said gate having wedge engagement with the -body along an'inclined surface making an acute angle with Y the vertical, and being adapted, to be guided in a movement down} wardly and inwardly toward the body to cause said pipe gripping faces tobe brought v into biting engagement with the pipe, and a relatively vertically movable wedge slip mounted in one of said parts, the angle made by said inclined surfaces'of engagement between the parts with the vertical being less than 30 and such'that its tangent does not exceed substantially thecoeflicient of friction between said pipe gripping faces and the rlp 7 -25. An'elevator of the character described, comprising body and gate pipe encircling parts, onelof said parts having a pipe gripping face, said gate being relatively movable downwardly toward the body, a vertically movable wed e slip mounted in the other of said parts an movable downwardly and in'- wardly relative to that part and means for holding said body and gate parts together.

a 26. An elevator of the character described, comprisingbody and gate pipe encircling parts having opposed pipe gripping faces, a

hinge connecting one end of said parts, said gate having wedge 'engagement with the body to be guided in a movement downwardly'and inwardly toward said body, interengaging lugs on the ends ofthe gate and body'oppo site their hinged connection, vertically movable wedge slips mounted on the body and adapted to move downwardly and inwardly relative thereto, and means carried on said gate and operable to hold the parts together against relative spreading movement at different relative radial positions thereof.

27. An elevator of the character described,

comprising two pipe encircling parts, means pivotally connecting said parts at one end,

interengaging lugs on the ends ofsaid parts opposite their pivotal connection, and means mounted on one of the parts and operable to 'hold the parts together at diflerent relative radial positions thereof; 7

28. .An elevator of the character described,

, comprising two pipe encircling parts, hinge means connecting said parts at one end, pipe gripping Wedge slips mounted on one of said parts and adapted to be brought into biting engagement with the pipe upon closing movement of said parts about the pipe, interengaginp; lugs on said parts opposite their hinged connection; and means mounted on one of said parts and operable to hold the parts together at different relative radial positions m thereof.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of November, 1928.

STEWART L. CAMPBELL. 

